At least 15 civilians died after their homes were struck by shellings on Saturday (Nov 4) in Khartoum, media reports said citing a medical source. The victims’ bodies were transported to Al-Nau Hospital in Omdurman district. This incident occurred as paramilitary forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reported gains in Darfur.
A long-standing conflict has been ongoing since April, pitting the forces of Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
This power struggle has led to significant damage to essential services in Sudan, resulting in the destruction of entire neighbourhoods in the capital and the extensive western region of Darfur. The conflict has claimed over 10,400 lives, with more than 6 million people displaced within and outside Sudan.
Negotiations in Jeddah
Representatives of the warring factions are currently engaged in negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with mediation from Saudi Arabia and the United States.
However, the fighting continues unabated within Sudan, undermining the prospects for peace.
The RSF has been steadily advancing on army bases in Darfur. They recently announced that it has “liberated” an army base in El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur. This is the same area where a communications blackout is ongoing.
A new investigation has been launched by the International Criminal Court into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. This comes amid reports of ethnically motivated killings by the RSF and allied militias.
Sudan’s civilians are facing a dire humanitarian crisis. As per US officials, the primary goal at present is to facilitate humanitarian assistance and secure a sustainable ceasefire.
(With inputs from agencies)
